" Internal Conflict, Its causes and consequences "

Welcome back fellow Tolerance Troops,

In this edition we'll examine internal conflict, it's causes and consequences. We will also attempt to provide some solutions and reframe the dominant paridigm surrounding this issue.

In an earlier volume we theorized about what forms our mental and emotional makeup. As we grow and mature we are constantly being exposed to external and internal stimuli which create a framework for our view of self, and also our view of others. This stimuli, you'll recall we receive from our immediate family, close friends and relatives. We also receive stimuli from the institutions we attend, and the family or national rituals we observe.  During our formative years our personality becomes highly developed as we age towards adulthood. We carry with us extraordinary events that occur during these years both good and bad as well. For instance, if we experience a physical, mental, or emotional trauma, this will effect our ability to assess risk or to take on risk as we age. 

These are also issues we face when we are assessing other individuals we meet or develop relationships with.  If we don't have an internal mechanism that we can access to deal with our different intimate, personal, casual, work, formal, subordinate and dominant relationships, we will experience the stress that comes from internal conflict.

How do we begin to deal with internal conflict effectively? We must first begin to accurately assess our own character. We need to determine wether we are left brain dominant or right brain dominant.

If we are left brain dominant, we tend to be highly logical, organized, critical thinkers, who tend to see both sides of an issue. We naturally tend to evaluate both sides of an issue. We need to draw our conclusions and make decisions based on highly researched evidence. We use time tested techniques and proven formulas to arrive at a decision.

 On the flip side however we have difficulty seeing the big picture. We can be highly disruptive and counterproductive in a group setting. We can be argumentative and skeptical. We are good at solving one issue and one problem at a time. We are much better at tackling issues idependently for a group in a consultative manner. We have little patience for new and unproven ideas.

If we are right brain dominant we are creative, artistic, big picture people, who constantly interpret things and people in new ways. We find inspiration everywhere and are always thinking outside the box. People are drawn to us and we are natural leaders and motivators. We tend to be fearless, and full of faith in a supreme entity higher than ourselves.  We tend to create new companies, discover new medicines, find new formulas, and invent new products.

On the flip side, right brained people can be highly unorganized and scattershot.  We can drive people crazy with unrealistic expectations and time-lines. We often don't delegate detail work that is not our forte'. We have a tendency to burn others out achieving our vision. We also have a tendency to have to many projects juggling at one time. While we may be good at creating new companies or inventing new products, we often do not posess the skills to take our companies or products to the next level. We need to use our team building skills and learn to make effective use of that team.

All people have some characteristics of either a right brain dominant or left brain dominant personality. If you are a predominantly left brain person then you want to expand your thinking. Learn to use and develop faith in your life.  If you can develop the habit of looking outside your normal channels for information, think outside the box and nurture your creative side you will deal with less internal conflict.  

If you are a predominantly right brain person then you want to learn when to delegate and when to let go. If you can accept that not everybody will have the same drive and vision that you do, and that you alone may not be equipped to be completely successful. Have faith that you have done all that you can to give birth to your company, invention, motion picture, CD project, or new drug. You too then will be able to move forward with less internal conflict.

In our next issue we'll discuss political conflict, both in the US and abroad, the underlying causes of conflict and specific remedies we can apply to them.  

Yours in Humanity,

Phillip Sr.